People's Liberation Army Navy - Surface Forces
When the PLA Navy was founded in 1949, the surface branch was the PLAN's only maritime force and was composed of combat vessels and service vessels. In November 1949, the PLAN established its first frigate dadui. Shortly thereafter, the PLAN created landing vessel, minesweeper, torpedo boat, submarine chaser, and destroyer forces. By the end of 1955, the surface force expanded in size, types of vessels, and organizational structure. During the 1950s, the PLAN's surface vessels helped occupy several Nationalist-held islands off the coast and supported Chinese fishing rights.
During the early 1960s, China began designing and researching its own missile boats, destroyers, frigates, and landing vessels, which were then incorporated into the PLAN.
In the early 1970s, the PLAN created several guided-missile speedboat and guided-missile destroyer units. During the 1980s, the focal points for PLAN development were frigate and destroyer combat-vessel units, while significant progress also occurred for the minesweeper, mine-laying, and submarine-chaser forces. Furthermore, the PLAN expanded its service- and support-vessel force structure with composite-supply ships, long-range salvageand- rescue ships, and long-range tugboats.
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